She was a surgeon of seasoned steak. Each cut was intentional and crisp like art was of the highest order. In her mid-twenties, she worked as someone who knew that work was to be done with effort and focus. I couldn’t help but look past my standard order at Chipotle, a chicken salad with copious amounts of cheese and salsa, to marvel at her precision. In that moment, God confirmed what I had long believed – that the Spirit thrives in the everyday exploits of the overlooked. Here was a young woman who fully understood, whether a follower of Christ or not, what Paul says in Colossians:
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters (3:23 NIV)
It would easy to see a career in ministry as always engaging in this, but we are just as capable of missing it. There are days where we simply punch the clock. Going through the motions. Yet everything is spiritual. Whether it be preaching or plumbing, we are called to take joy in it. For that moment in time is a sacred calling. I am reminded in my work with teens that the little things are time released big things that often transcend the moment. Kids will often point at the running jokes, the passing comment, the failed lesson, or the gimmicky ice-breaker as being a moment they felt loved.
Today, whether in your vocation or family, apply more of Chipotle and less of Sunday. Know that the little moments have sacred weight. The Spirit of Christ is with you. All ground is sacred. Take joy in the everyday.
Matt simon blog 